Patrick Van Damme
Biographic Data
| ID | 79391 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Patrick Van Damme |
| GIVEN NAMES | Patrick |
| FAMILY NAME | Van Damme |
| SIGNATURE | VAN DAMME P |
| AFFILIATIONS | Ghent University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2548-633X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 153 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 310 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 153 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1988 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 10 |
Does gardening make us feel better? Assessing the motivations and perceptions of urban gardeners in Bogota, Colombia
Medicinal Plant Use and Diversity in the Urban Area of Idiofa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Medicinal plants are being used by communities worldwide to treat various conditions, diseases, and illnesses. Nevertheless, knowledge of their use is rapidly declining due to factors like accelerated urbanization, globalization, and biodiversity loss. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, deforestation, and urbanization are the main drivers of biodiversity loss. In order to gain insight into how urban communities in the Democratic Republic of Con…
Harvesting nature's bounty
Background Feeding the world's future population while still facing a variety of socioeconomic and climate change scenarios with uncertain outcomes is a key global societal concern that should be addressed in a science-based manner. Ethiopia boasts a great diversity of wild edible plant species (WEPS), but millions of its citizens still suffer from chronic hunger every year. In this context, we here document the use and conservation of WEPS in th…
Plant use and perceptions in the context of sexual health among people of Congolese descent in Belgium
Background The use of medicinal plants is integral to global healthcare systems, with Sub-Saharan Africa maintaining a robust tradition of herbal medicine alongside Western-oriented healthcare. As migrant communities tend to continue traditional herbal practices after migration, documenting this use is vital to develop culturally sensitive healthcare. This study investigates plant usage and perspectives in the context of sexual and reproductive h…
Medicinal Plant Use Among the Congolese (Democratic Republic of Congo) Community in Belgium
Midterm change in rainfall distribution in north and central Benin
A better understanding of rainfall variability and trends is vital for agricultural production systems which are largely dependent on climate. This study aims to analyze and to quantify the significance of change on annual, seasonal and daily rainfall in North and Central Benin, and to infer future challenges for crop production. Daily rainfall data for the 1970–2016 period measured at three weather stations (Savè, Malanville and Tanguiéta) were …
Tracing the Tradition
An Analysis of the Evolution of Forestry Reforms and Women’s Rights to Forest Use, Ownership and Management in Cameroon
Changes in forestry policies in Cameroon have often been initiated by different stakeholders in line with their respective interests, political and/or economic power, capacities and views. Consequently, communities, and especially women, inhabiting forest areas have faced difficulty using and managing forests, for cultural, social, economic and institutional reasons that limit their rights regarding the forest. This paper argues that institutiona…
A disease like any other' traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use and perspectives in the context of Covid-19 among the Congolese community in Belgium
BackgroundAs a hard-hit area during the COVID-19 pandemic, Belgium knew the highest mortality among people from sub-Saharan African descent, compared to any other group living in the country. After migration, people often maintain traditional perceptions and habits regarding health and healthcare, resulting in a high prevalence of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use among different migrant communities in northern urban setting…
Family Physician Perceptions of Climate Change, Migration, Health, and Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa
Although family physicians (FPs) are community-oriented primary care generalists and should be the entry point for the population's interaction with the health system, they are underrepresented in research on the climate change, migration, and health(care) nexus (hereafter referred to as the nexus). Similarly, FPs can provide valuable insights into building capacity through integrating health-determining sectors for climate-resilient and migratio…
Ethnobotanical characterization of medicinal plants used in Kisantu and Mbanza-Ngungu territories, Kongo-Central Province in DR Congo
Background The phytotherapeutic knowledge of the Kongo people in the territories of Kisantu and Mbanza-Ngungu in Kongo-Central Province (DR Congo) is rapidly eroding. To document the remaining knowledge, we conducted an ethnobotanical survey on the most important medicinal plant species and diseases treated with them, as well as plants with therapeutic potential. We also checked for the cultural similarity in medicinal plant knowledge between the…
Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Adwa District, Central Zone of Tigray Regional State, Northern Ethiopia
Background Medicinal plants have been used for ages in Ethiopia. Some 887 plant species have been documented to heal human and livestock health problems. Documenting the traditional use of medicinal plants is a vital step in obtaining information on bioactive chemicals, preserving indigenous knowledge and ultimately interesting, medicinal plant species. We conducted this study with the aim of documenting the ethnobotanical knowledge associated wi…
Wit-Zwart in Zwart-Wit. Samen en Toch Apart
Vulnerability to climate change among maize-dependent smallholders in three districts of Ethiopia
Medicinal plants used by ‘root doctors’, local traditional healers in Bié province, Angola
Medicinal plant use practice in four ethnic communities (Gurage, Mareqo, Qebena, and Silti), south central Ethiopia
Background Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the form of customs, taboos, and traditional healthcare systems. Traditional medicine system is one of the widespread cultures known throughout the world which is very much tied to cultural practices of the community or ethnic group. Medicinal plant treasure found in Gurage and Silti zones remained poorly characterized and understood. Therefore, this stud…
Traditional medicinal plant use of indigenous communities in Gurage Zone, Ethiopia
Background: The traditional use of medicinal plants for curing and preventing illnesses has been paramount and widely practiced in Ethiopia for generations. This study was carried out in Gurage zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, Ethiopia. The study aims to document the state of traditional knowledge related to local plant uses for medicine and examine how the communities’ value and relate to medicinal plants.Methods: Ethnob…
Participatory farm diversification and nutrition education increase dietary diversity in Western Kenya
Our study assessed the effectiveness of a community-based participatory approach in increasing micronutrient adequacy of diets of women and young children through agricultural activities and nutrition education in Vihiga County, Western Kenya. Outcome indicators include the mean dietary diversity score (DDS), the percentage of women and children reaching minimum dietary diversity (MDD), and micronutrient adequacy (mean adequacy ratio). The projec…
Local traditional foods contribute to diversity and species richness of rural women’s diet in Ecuador
Objective: To evaluate the dietary diversity and the nutrient contribution of traditional foods (locally cultivated and wild) by conducting a food intake study in rural Ecuador. Design: Repeated 24 h recalls over a 14 d interval and frequency of consumption served to simulate the usual diet by the Multiple Source Method. Data on missing visits ( n 11) were imputed using multivariate imputation by chained equations. The intakes of three macro- and…
Marie. Overleven met de dood
The Role of Tree Domestication in Green Market Product Value Chain Development in Africa
Internationally, there is increasing interest in acquiring ‘green’ market, organic and/or fair trade products, also sourced from the wild. The latter is expected to come from well-managed (forest) systems. This has led to the development and implementation of programmes designed to reduce deforestation and forest degradation (for mitigation of climate change, and sustainable provision of environmental goods and services) (REDD and REDD+). Crucial…
Food biodiversity includes both locally cultivated and wild food species in Guasaganda, Central Ecuador
Background Worldwide, the number of wild and domesticated food species is declining, which endangers dietary diversity of particularly indigenous people. Unfortunately, eating culture and traditional knowledge is also hampered when food species are no longer available. Methods This study reports the food biodiversity in Guasaganda, Central Ecuador, using a combination of methods aiming to inform local initiatives. Results and discussion The numbe…
The Role of Tree Domestication in Green Market Product Value Chain Development in Africa
Internationally, there is increasing interest in acquiring ‘green’ market, organic and/or fair trade products, also sourced from the wild. The latter is expected to come from well-managed (forest) systems. This has led to the development and implementation of programmes designed to reduce deforestation and forest degradation (for mitigation of climate change, and sustainable provision of environmental goods and services) (REDD and REDD+). Crucial…
Voudou van New Orleans naar Cotonou op het ritme van de goden
This very, very interesting book was written by a Dutch modern music journalist who set up a crowdfunding campaign to be able to go and visit the roots of the voodoo music (and culture). His journey takes him and us to the USA (Mississippi and New Orleans’ mardi gras), the santeria in Cuba, Haiti, Surinam and nally, Togo and Benin. He participates in ceremonies, goes to con- certs and ‘events’, has many discussions, and brings a very well-documen…
Kongo, een voorgeschiedenis
Lucas Catherine provides us with a brief history of pre-colonial Congo through a collection of tales and anecdotes from eight protagonists, all Belgians with the exception of Joseph Conrad, the writer, and Stanley, the journalist who once presumed he’d found Livingstone in the middle of the Congolese nowhere. The book’s bottom line is that even before colonialism extended its reach, the soon-to be colonised countries had histories, narratives tha…
Comparison of health conditions treated with traditional and biomedical health care in a Quechua community in rural Bolivia
Traditional medicine in the study area is adaptive because it corresponds well with local patterns of morbidity, health care needs in relation to chronic illnesses, cultural perceptions of health conditions and socio-economic aspects of health care. The quantitative analysis of plant use reports and patient data represents a novel approach to compare the contribution of traditional and biomedical health care to treatment of particular health cond…
Ethnomedicinal study of plants used for human ailments in Ankober District, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Background Ankober District has long been inhabited by people who have a long tradition of using medicinal plants to treat human ailments. Overexploitation of medicinal plants coupled with an ever-increasing population growth, deforestation and agricultural land expansion threatens plants in the area. Hence, this study aimed at documenting and analyzing the plant-based ethnomedicinal knowledge of the people in order to preserve the dwindling indi…
What Works in the Field? A Comparison of Different Interviewing Methods in Ethnobotany with Special Reference to the Use of Photographs
A comparison of traditional healers' medicinal plant knowledge in the Bolivian Andes and Amazon
Folk Classification, Perception, and Preferences of Baobab Products in West Africa
Medicinal plant use practice in four ethnic communities (Gurage, Mareqo, Qebena, and Silti), south central Ethiopia
Background Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the form of customs, taboos, and traditional healthcare systems. Traditional medicine system is one of the widespread cultures known throughout the world which is very much tied to cultural practices of the community or ethnic group. Medicinal plant treasure found in Gurage and Silti zones remained poorly characterized and understood. Therefore, this stud…
Ethnoveterinary plants of Ankober District, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
BACKGROUND: Traditional herbal preparations for addressing veterinary problems have been applied in Ankober District, Ethiopia, for generations. However, the millennia-old ethnoveterinary knowledge of the community, and the plants are subjected to loss without being scientifically documented due to anthropogenic and environmental threats. Hence, this study aims at providing a comprehensive documentation on ethnoveterinary plant knowledge of the p…
Valuation of Forests and Plant Species in Indigenous Territory and National Park Isiboro-Sécure, Bolivia
Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Adwa District, Central Zone of Tigray Regional State, Northern Ethiopia
Background Medicinal plants have been used for ages in Ethiopia. Some 887 plant species have been documented to heal human and livestock health problems. Documenting the traditional use of medicinal plants is a vital step in obtaining information on bioactive chemicals, preserving indigenous knowledge and ultimately interesting, medicinal plant species. We conducted this study with the aim of documenting the ethnobotanical knowledge associated wi…
Understanding and Resolving Conflict Between Local Communities and Conservation Authorities in Colombia
Ethnobotanical characterization of medicinal plants used in Kisantu and Mbanza-Ngungu territories, Kongo-Central Province in DR Congo
Background The phytotherapeutic knowledge of the Kongo people in the territories of Kisantu and Mbanza-Ngungu in Kongo-Central Province (DR Congo) is rapidly eroding. To document the remaining knowledge, we conducted an ethnobotanical survey on the most important medicinal plant species and diseases treated with them, as well as plants with therapeutic potential. We also checked for the cultural similarity in medicinal plant knowledge between the…
A disease like any other' traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use and perspectives in the context of Covid-19 among the Congolese community in Belgium
BackgroundAs a hard-hit area during the COVID-19 pandemic, Belgium knew the highest mortality among people from sub-Saharan African descent, compared to any other group living in the country. After migration, people often maintain traditional perceptions and habits regarding health and healthcare, resulting in a high prevalence of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use among different migrant communities in northern urban setting…
Harvesting nature's bounty
Background Feeding the world's future population while still facing a variety of socioeconomic and climate change scenarios with uncertain outcomes is a key global societal concern that should be addressed in a science-based manner. Ethiopia boasts a great diversity of wild edible plant species (WEPS), but millions of its citizens still suffer from chronic hunger every year. In this context, we here document the use and conservation of WEPS in th…
Wild Edible Plant Markets in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
Four Footed Pharmacists
The Relationship Between Plant Use and Plant Diversity in the Bolivian Andes, with Special Reference to Medicinal Plant Use
Susto Etiology and Treatment According to Bolivian Trinitario People
This article addresses two concepts that are quite widespread among Latin American cultures: susto or "'fright sickness," and the "masters of the animal species" philosophy, whereby individual animal spirits are believed to be "owned" by species-specific spiritual masters. This is the first article to integrate both these aspects, drawing from ethnographic data from the Trinitario people in Bolivia collected through participant-observation and se…
An iconic traditional apiculture of park fringe communities of Borena Sayint National Park, north eastern Ethiopia
Background Traditional apiculture has been practised in Ethiopia over a long historical period and still remains a benign means to extract direct benefits from natural ecosystems. While its contribution to economic development and watershed protection is increasingly recognized its cultural significance is however, seldom noticed. This study was conducted using an ethnobotanical study approach to document the honey bee flora and associated indige…
Conservation. Linking Ecology, Economics, and Culture
Plant use and perceptions in the context of sexual health among people of Congolese descent in Belgium
Background The use of medicinal plants is integral to global healthcare systems, with Sub-Saharan Africa maintaining a robust tradition of herbal medicine alongside Western-oriented healthcare. As migrant communities tend to continue traditional herbal practices after migration, documenting this use is vital to develop culturally sensitive healthcare. This study investigates plant usage and perspectives in the context of sexual and reproductive h…
Effect of a health claim and personal characteristics on consumer acceptance of fruit juices with different concentrations of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.)
A tale of transaction costs and forest law compliance
Traditional medicinal plant use of indigenous communities in Gurage Zone, Ethiopia
Background: The traditional use of medicinal plants for curing and preventing illnesses has been paramount and widely practiced in Ethiopia for generations. This study was carried out in Gurage zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, Ethiopia. The study aims to document the state of traditional knowledge related to local plant uses for medicine and examine how the communities’ value and relate to medicinal plants.Methods: Ethnob…
Food biodiversity includes both locally cultivated and wild food species in Guasaganda, Central Ecuador
Background Worldwide, the number of wild and domesticated food species is declining, which endangers dietary diversity of particularly indigenous people. Unfortunately, eating culture and traditional knowledge is also hampered when food species are no longer available. Methods This study reports the food biodiversity in Guasaganda, Central Ecuador, using a combination of methods aiming to inform local initiatives. Results and discussion The numbe…
Would strictly enforced forestry regulations affect farmers’ stated intentions to plant indigenous fruits trees? Insights from Cameroon
Leo J. de Haan
Sociological and Organizational aspects of Fuel Wood Growing in Traditional Communities
As in many other African countries, wood is the most important source of energy for the rural and urban populations of Togo. Traditional attitudes towards trees and prohibitive laws explain why trees are not planted “spontaneously” by local communities even though they are facing serious woodfuel shortage problems. Promotion of tree planting has recently been taken up by government agencies and foreign funded projects. Most of them try to get loc…
Sociologcal and Organizational Aspects of Fuel Wood growing in traditional Communities
As in many other African countries, wood is the most important source of energy for the rural and urban populations of Togo. Traditional attitudes towards trees and prohibitive laws explain why trees are not planted "spontaneously" by local communities even though they are facing serious woodfuel shortage problems. Promotion of tree planting has recently been taken up by government agencies and foreign funded projects. Most of them try to get loc…
Het Traditioneel Gebruik van Euphorbia Tirucalli
Traditional Uses of Euphorbia Tirucalli This article reviews the traditional uses of E. tirucalli . This succulent latex plant, although originating from southern Africa, is now growing as a hedge plant in tropical and subtropical regions all over the world. Its special chemical properties have induced people to use it as a source of poison against bacteria, amoebas, nematodes, insects,fish, birds and mammals. Its medicinal use has also been reco…
Integrated Development Project Identification an Follow-Up Methods (Dapaong, Northern Togo)
The article treats the methodological aspects of the creation of a Vredeseilanden (Flemish N.G.O., "Islands of Peace") project through an example in Dapaong, northern Togo. The philosophy of Vredeseilanden and problematics of the region are presented in the introduction. Interventions were defined through an active participation of the target group during a so-called active listening phase. This participatory approach is also used when evaluating…
Editoriaal
Traditional Uses of Euphorbia Tirucalli
This article reviews the traditional uses of E. tirucalli. This succulent latex plant, although originating from southern Africa, is now growing as a hedge plant in tropical and subtropical regions all over the world. Its special chemical properties have induced people to use it as a source of poison against bacteria, amoebas, nematodes, insects, fish, birds and mammals. Its medicinal use has also been recorded in a wide variety of settings. In a…
Methodes D’identification et de Suivi D’un Projet de Developpement Integre (Dapaong, Nord Togo)
Integrated Development Project Identification and Follow-Up Methods. (Dapaong, Nothern Togo). The article treats the methodological aspects of the creation of a Vredeseilanden (Flemish N.G.O., “Islands of Peace”) project through an example in Dapaong, northern Togo. The philosophy of Vredeseilanden and problematics of the region are presented in the introduction. Interventions were defined through an active participation of the target group durin…
Participatory research on the rise
Gebruik Van Euphorbia Tirucalli Als Rubberleverancier En Energiegewas
The Possibilities to use Euphorbia Tirucalli as an Energy and Rubber Crop Euphorbia Tirucalli has been used as a source for natural rubber at different times in history, especially in southern Africa. The latex resin content is too high to guarantee a good quality product and economic production has never taken off as some had hoped. The fact that the plant is very well adapted to arid and semi arid conditions and can be grown on marginal waste l…
The Possibilities to use Euphorbia Tirucalli as an Energy and a Rubber Crop
Euphorbia tirucalli has been used as a source for natural rubber at different times in history, especially in southern Africa. The latex resin content is too high to guarantee a good quality product and economic production has never taken off as some had hoped. The fact that the plant is very well adapted to arid and semi arid conditions and can be grown on marginal waste lands makes it a potential energy crop which can be turned into biogas with…
Editoriaal
Preliminary Material
Editoriaal
Plant Ecology of the Namib Desert
The Namib desert is reportedly the oldest desert in the world. It consists of a number of very distinct ecosystems, six of which are dealt with in this text. Among them are the sand dune, the dry river bed and the domed inselbergs vegetation. The importance of fog water absorption for the Namib flora is discussed. Two important and noteworthy endemic plant species, i.e. Welwitschia mirabilis and Acanthosicyos horrida are treated extensively, beca…
Senegal Waaw” – CD Vredeseilanden
Senegal Waaw” – CD Vredeseilanden
Senegal Waaw: Senegal ja! of, hoe niet goevernementele-projecten voor ontwikkelingssamenwerking niet altijd een negatieve snaar moeten betokkelen ... De Vlaamse niet-goevernementele organisatie voor ontwikkelingssamenwerking (kortweg NGO) Vredeseilanden heeft een CD uitgegeven. Een ontwikkelingsorganisatie die muzikale paden bewandelt. Het roept waarschijnlijk wel vragen op. Wat heeft een NGO met muziek te maken ? Kan bet dat een NGO die belangel…
Preliminary Material
Plant Ecology of the Namib Desert
The Namib desert is reportedly the oldest desert in the world. It consists of a number of very distinct ecosystems, six of which are dealt with in this text. Among them are the sand dune, the dry river bed and the domed inselbergs vegetation. The importance of fog water absorption for the Namib flora is discussed. Two important and noteworthy endemic plant species, i.e. Welwitschia mirabilis and Acanthosicyos horrida are treated extensively, beca…
Preliminary Material
Plant Uses by the Topnaar of the Sesfontein Area (Namib Desert)
The Kuiseb Topnaar use some 50 different plants for food, woodfuel, cosmetics, as drugs, for construction, .... The different plants are presented here and their uses discussed and compared to uses in other settings
Topnaar or Hottentot? The People on the Top Revisited
The Topnaar which live in the Namib Desert have only been studied superficially. This article gives some sociological, historical and general interest information about these wonderful people
Anne Walraet
De auteur is beroepshalve al een hele tijd actief in (fysisch) en rond (thematisch) Zuidelijk Afrika. Meer bepaald heeft ze heel wat contacten opgebouwd met organisaties en individuen uit de vroegere frontlijnstaten en "gelijkgestemde" landen die zich recentelijk verenigd hebben in de Southern African Development Cooperation Conference (SADCC)
Anne Walraet
Plant Uses by the Topnaar of the Sesfontein Area (Namib Desert)
Geography (88 works) · Biology (71 works) · Ecology (67 works) · African Botany and Ecology Studies (53 works) · Agroforestry (43 works) · Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies (42 works) · Political science (37 works) · Agriculture and Rural Development Research (36 works) · Sociology (34 works) · Medicine (33 works)